Groundbreaking Friday for 53rd Habitat house in Etowah County

Wednesday

Feb 27, 2019 at 4:51 PMFeb 27, 2019 at 4:51 PM

Ceremonially speaking, the groundbreaking comes Friday, but the work began earlier this week on Gadsden-Etowah County Habitat for Humanity’s 53rd house.

The house will be home to Ashley Lemons and her children, Aliya, Jayleen, Avery and Samija. A Gadsden State Community College carpentry class, under the direction of Heath McDaniel, laid out the house this week, and Brad Kirby, of Freedom Construction Company, donated time and equipment to dig footings on Wednesday.

The public is invited to the groundbreaking at 10 a.m. Friday. Thanks to a banner and sign donated by Simmons Signs, the construction site of Talmadge Street in East Gadsden won’t be hard to find.

Habitat for Humanity has been working in the Gadsden-Etowah County area since 1996, in an effort to eradicate substandard and poverty housing in the county, Executive Director Suzanne Scharfenberg said.

“Thanks to the tireless support of dedicated staff and volunteers, and with generous community support, 166 people now have a safe place to rest their heads at night,” she said.

Habitat partner families work on their home alongside volunteers and must complete 300 hours of “sweat equity” volunteer work, Scharfenberg said. They make a $600 down payment and pay their first year’s homeowner insurance premium. When all requirements are completed, families will purchase their new home, financed by Habitat for Humanity with a 0 percent interest, 20-year mortgage. House payments typically are $325 per month.

Five more families have been approved by the Habitat board of directors to partner with the group for their homes. Scharfenberg said that means 19 more people will know the joy of owning their own home in the near future.